Wednesday 4 July 2018

Isdal - Demo


Labels: Self-Released
Formats: Digital
Release Date: 13 Jul 2018

Tracklist:

1. Reduced // Returns
2. Weight In My Spine

In this digital age it's odd to see a band promoting their music without it even being present online to stream in some form or another. Seattle (WA) heavy hardcore band Isdal are doing just that though and after letting their music do the talking in a live setting, they're about to release their debut demo later this month. I managed to get a sneaky advance listen so that I could give you my first impressions on this new band. Isdal formed in 2017 and features members of Into The Storm, Prison and NUMB. They also recently played their first hometown show, Top Knot Fest (in March) alongside the likes of Heiress and American Standards (as well as others). 

Isdal’s demo clocks in at nearly six minutes and it’s a noisy, abrasive affair. Reduced // Returns is a quickfire blast of chaotic noise with grinding instrumentation and caustic screams. It’s metallic in places but also blackened with plenty of metal influence. They mix it up with slower, sludgy parts as well.  

Weight In My Spine uses more of the sludgy atmosphere that the demo opener hinted at. The lowly bass rumbles shake you at first before Isdal launches into a crawling, down tempo verse that kind of reminds me of 90s metalcore. They experiment with different time-signatures and the sound on the demo is raw but still very warm in tone. 

I know it’s early days for this band but I already want to hear more by them. There’s something oddly comforting about chaotic hardcore/metal and Isdal seems to know exactly how to do it well while not ageing what’s come before. A really solid start.

You'll have to wait to hear this demo for yourselves but Isdal have posted a very short teaser video on their Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Isdalband/.

Here's hoping that artwork finds it's way onto a physical release in their near future.


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